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Grabbed by the Ghoulies Review
Chris Leyton
19/11/2003
Is the first ever Xbox title from Rare worth your interest, find out inside...
So here it is, the first Xbox title from Rare after the rather costly acquisition from Nintendo; but can âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ maintain Rareâs tradition of brilliance or has the split left them a mere shadow of their former selves.
Both Microsoft and Rare have been keen to promote âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ as âsophisticated yet simpleâ, a game that they hope can stretch beyond the Xbox hardcore and appeal to a wider audience. Itâs certainly a strange decision, as we would have expected the first game to be a truly remarkable title â“a statement about Rare and their future â“ as it stands the lack of depth and sheer amount of repetition could weaken the once mighty image of Rare.
Players take control of Cooper, who having got caught out by a rainstorm with his girlfriend decides to take shelter in the spooky GhoulHaven Hall. Itâs not long before Cooper findâs his girlfriend snatched from his grasp â“ or grabbed by the ghoulies you might say. What basically unfolds is an action romp with a subtle blend of puzzles as you explore GhoulHaven Hall and attempt to rescue your girlfriend from the unhinged Baron Von Ghoul.
The game utilises a similar control setup to that featured in âBlade 2â; using the left analogue stick to move Cooper, the right analogue stick allows you to perform a wide variety of punches and kicks in full 360° whilst the left and right shoulder buttons swing the camera around. The system works far better then it did in âBlade 2â as players have the ability to link moves together thanks to the wonderful animation in the game, itâs also a set-up that virtually anybody can pick up and play â“ however the lack of any type of special move does limit its appeal to the more advanced gamer.
To help you on the way itâs possible to pick up over 100 different items that are scattered throughout the house to use as a weapon; typical weapons include pool cues, flowerpots and pictures but literally almost anything goes. The game also features some proper old-school power-ups such as the ability to boost Cooperâs speed or gain a miniature Cooper to assist you in defeating the evil minions, whilst a number of anti-power ups such as reverse controls are there to make things a little trickier. Thanks to these little touches, âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ does feel like an old-school game, playing similarly to Konamiâs classic âZombies Ate My Neighbourâ.
In addition the environment can often be used to your advantage; such notable acts include the ability to swing a pool table around destroying anything that comes into collision with it.
Along the way the helpful butler will keep you informed of what lies ahead, as itâs not often as simple as destroying every ghoul you see. âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ is similar to the likes of âLuigiâs Mansionâ, where players find themselves locked in a room and having to solve the puzzle or challenge, only by doing so successfully will the mysteriously locked door open and allow you to progress. There are a wide variety of challenges on offer, which certainly lends the game a well-needed touch of variety and addiction; these range from trying to find a key to unlock the door to destroying only a certain type of ghoul. As you progress through the game these get harder and harder, often resulting in the appearance of the Grim Reaper who will chase after you and attempt to grab hold of you whilst youâre trying to complete the challenge in question â“ if he gets you itâs time to restart the Challenge complete with the Grim Reaper playing butt-rock guitar tunes from his scythe.
The big problem that arises after only a short amount of time is the sheer repetition involved, youâll find yourself traipsing through the same room over and over again as youâre forced down a strictly linear route, whilst the lack of anything beyond simple attacks really tire the game after only a short time. Perhaps weâre missing the point, however we found no motivation to playing the final copy over again having already gone through an earlier build. In an attempt to boost the games longevity, it features a number of mini-games that can be unlocked by collecting the various âRareWareâ books that youâll find hidden throughout the house; whilst this is a nice touch they donât really appeal beyond the first couple of goes â“ judging by the sheer amount of Rare memorabilia adorned in every room and seeing the ZX Spectrum classic âJetPacâ on âDonkey Kong 64â we were a little disappointed by the ironic opportunity missed to make a casual game essential for the true hardcore Rare fans.
Thatâs one element that will certainly appeal to the Rare fans, âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ is chocked to the brim with typical Rare humour, you only have to keep an ear out for the traditional mumbled garbage that spews out of each characters mouth â“ our personal favourite is Fiddlesworthâs "bugger off" under muttered breath. Rareâs tradition of making strong characters also shines through, these guys can make anything look funny such as boxing skeletons or the little imps that scuttle across the floor â“ itâs hard not to have a smile on your face when playing.
Without doubt the games strongest aspect is its presentation, the story unfolds through a series of stills and movies that are played out in the pages of a storybook. Whilst it may not be the most technically accomplished Xbox title weâve ever seen, âGrabbed by the Ghouliesâ displays a level of charisma not usually found in Xbox titles and one thatis morew characteristic to a Nintendo title. The game features some brilliant animation, whilst the overall cartoon look is extremely accomplished.
